Breathing tube for self-rescue apparatus



July 31, 1928.

A. B. DRAGER BREATHING TUBE FOR SELF RESCUE APPARATUS Filed 001;. 29, 1925 I hfLuL M ,yrromvzrs Patented July 31, 1928.

* umreo STATES.

1,679,116 ATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER H rman DRliGER, or LUBEcK, GERMANY; ELFRIEDE DRAGER, was STANGE, EXECUTRIX' or SAID} ALEXANDERBERNHARD BERGER, DECEASED.

BREATHING TUBE FortsELr-REsc E APPARATUS.

Application filed October 29, 1925,'Seria1 No. 65,692, and in Germany November 6, 1924.

Air-purifying or regenerating cartridges when used in combination with gas masks or breathing mouthpiece? will require a breathing tubeto connect the cartridge to the mask or mouthpiece respectively. In rescue apparatus of this type consisting of a mask or mouthpiece, cartridge and breathing tube an exhaling valve usually is provided at the mask or mouthpiece and an inhaling valve on the cartridge. Thus disposing the valves adjacent the ends of the breathing tube leads the exhaled air current into the atmosphere and prevents it from passing through the cartridge. By this means it is alsoat-tained, that during the exhaling period practically no exhaled air can enter the breathing tube which, remaining filled with purified air from the last inhaling breath, is rendered ineffective as dead room for exhaled air.

The present invention refers to a new disposition and arrangement of the exhaling valve directly at the joint piece connecting the breathing tube to the mask or the mouthpiece respectively, or in the-breathing tube itself. It further relates to a new disposal of the inhalation valve in the lower extremity of the breathing tube or in the joint piece connecting the breathing tube with the cartridge.

The invention comprises certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing; in which Fig. 1 represents a. side elevation of the apparatus partly in section showing the new disposition of the valves at the breathing tube connecting the cartridge to a mask; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of the exhaling valve; Fig. 3 shows how an intermediate elastic tube section is placed between the screw connection of the mask and the exhaling valve.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the figures.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 the valve" casing 11 is immediately connected to a piece of tube a, adapted to be fastened at the other end to the mask or mouthpiece, for example by means of a screw connection 6 already known. To the other end of the valve casing the breathing tube 0 is attached in any convenient way. In its convenient construction.

middlepart the casing 42 is contracted on one or both sides in order to carry one or two exhaling valves 0 which communicate with the interior of the'casing and may be of any In the illustrated embodiment the exhaling valves are of the labiate. type. Above the said valves the casing o is provided with a socket f, threaded inside, into which an outer socket or sleeve 9 is-scrow'ed for protecting the said valves. This socket g is open at its lower extremity forming an annular space 72, around the tube '0 through which the exhaled air may escape.

' The breathing tube 0 between the ma k m and the air-purifying cartridge 39 carries in its connecting piece 2' to the cartridge a suit-, able inhaling valve is which may be of the usual type illustrated in the drawing. By thus placing the inhaling valve in the breathing tube or in its connecting pipe 2' a much cheaper manufacture of the exchangeable cartridges, no longer containing the inhalation valve, is obtained, whereas, more attention may be given to the careful manufacture of the inhaling valves thanin the wholesale making of the cartridges. F inally the inhaling valve in the breathing tube or the connecting tube 2' respectively can at any time be tested as to its proper working.

In the example shown by Fig. 1 the valve chest containing the inhaling valve 70 comprises cup-shaped sockets 0 and 0, having their rims in engagement and gastightly connected with each other.

As will be seen from Fig. 3 the flexible tube section it placed between the exhaling valve and the screw connection a b of the mask consists of a short section of flexible tube with one or several folds or coils, two such folds being provided in the example illustrated in the drawing. Such elastic joint between the connecting tube a of the mask and the casing containing the exhaling valves provides pliancy and freedom of motion between the mask or the mask connecting tube respectively and the exhaling valve.

It is to be understood that .the term mask is used in the claims in a broad sense to include equivalent devices such as breathing mouth pieces commonly used in many types of breathing apparatus.

I claim:

1. In a breathing apparatus, a breathing till ill.)

valve comprising an open ended tubular casing contracted at its intermediate portion and provided with a valve opening in its Wall at said contracted portion, one end of said casing being adapted for connection With a breathing tube, and a protective sleeve enclosing said valve and valve opening and having its one end in screwthreaded connection with said casing and its other end definin an annular outlet between itself and said casing, the inner diameter of said sleeve being greater than the outer diameter of said breathing tube whereby said sleeve may be disconnected from said casing and slidably shifted lengthwise of said tube to expose said valve and valve opening.

2. In a breathing apparatus, in combination, an open-ended tubular casing having a restricted portion provided with an aperture in its wall, automatic valve means adapted to close and open said aperture, a flexible tube connected to one end of said casing and adapted to be connected to a mask, the other end of said casing being adapted to be connected to a breathing tube, and a protective sleeve enclosing said valve means and having one of its ends detachably fixed to said casing and the other of its ends defining a passage between itself and said casing.

3. In a breathing apparatus, in combination, an open-ended tubular casing provided with an aperture in its wall, automatic valve means adapted to close and open said aperture, a flexible tube connected to one end of said casing and adapted to be connected to a mask, the other end of said casing being adapted to be connected to a breathing tube, and a protective sleeve enclosing said valve means andhaving one of its ends detachably fixed to said casing and the other of its ends defining a passage between itself and said casing, the inner diameter of said sleeve being sufiiciently large to permit the sleeve to be shifted lengthwise of said tube to expose said Valve means.

Dr. Ing. h. c. ALEXANDER BERNHARD DRAGER. 

